Chicago tenants say mice, roaches, and leaks never stopped, and now the owner is in court

Tenants in a South Side Chicago apartment building say they are still living with mice, roaches, and rain leaks despite repeated complaints.

The federally subsidized property at 7000 S. Parnell Ave. in Englewood has failed five annual inspections, and the owner is now facing an active court case tied to 32 cited violations, according to city records.

Here's what to know

The Chicago Department of Buildings told Fox 32 that the property drew 35 separate 311 complaints between January 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, and that the city responded to each one. City records reviewed by the station show the building failed its annual inspection five times in roughly a year and a half: once in March 2025, then four more times in 2026, during January, May, August, and September.

A 30-year-old mother of three said the mouse droppings she found in her apartment were fresh. The station also reported seeing what looked like droppings, roaches clinging to glue traps, and steel wool wedged into gaps to keep rodents out. The resident also showed water coming into her unit during rain.

According to the city, the issue has moved beyond inspection notices. The Department of Buildings told Fox 32 that the Chicago Department of Law is pursuing an active Circuit Court case against the owner and that seven court dates have taken place.

Alderman Will Hall, who represents the 6th Ward where the building is located, told Fox Chicago, "The building is a problem, and people living conditions is unacceptable."

More background

The property is tied to federal housing assistance. Federal data for fiscal year 2025 shows the complex, known as Transformation Housing III, has 55 units under a Project-Based Section 8 contract and was about 98% occupied, meaning the subsidy follows the units at that address rather than individual tenants.

The city's cited violations extend far beyond pests. Inspectors pointed to crumbling walls and exteriors, broken emergency lighting and exit signs, electrical hazards, old leaking pipes, and water stains and seepage on hallway and corridor ceilings, the outlet reported. The city also noted gaps around pipes that needed rat-proof sealing.

County property records name TH III LLC as the taxpayer tied to the Englewood address, while the station said it also sought comment from VLV Development and HUD but did not get responses.

What's being done?

Chicago officials say enforcement is underway. The Department of Buildings told Fox 32 that inspectors have issued 32 violations, calling the owner's compliance "inconsistent and minimal." The next court date is set for December 3 at 9:30 a.m.

The department also said the building's owner has not let inspectors into individual units, leaving the city unable to confirm who lives there, whether detectors are working, or whether the reported problems are real.

A broader capacity issue may also be part of the problem. According to Fox Chicago, 34th Ward Alderman Bill Conway said, "In the city of Chicago, we have around 20 residential housing inspectors in the Buildings Department," even though those inspectors are responsible for "the hundreds of thousands of rental units we have across the city."

Across the country, landlords and homeowners associations have also blocked renters from money-saving habits like gardening or hanging a clothesline to dry laundry. For tenants hoping to work with landlords or homeowners associations to change rules like these, the TCD Guide's page on changing bylaws can help with organizing requests and pushing for formal changes.

For residents still living with leaks and pests, the court process may move slowly compared with daily life in the building. One resident described her frustration by saying, "I cry to them saying, 'Can y'all do something about it?'"

Where can I learn more?

Here are a few other stories about renters dealing with unsafe apartment conditions and pushing for action. They cover proposed heat protections, hidden ventilation hazards, unsanitary complexes, pest-attracting runoff, and dangerous neighbor behavior.

• Arizona lawmakers are pushing indoor temperature protections that would hold landlords accountable.

• A new tenant found an exhaust pipe hazard in the apartment and sought city help.

• An upstairs neighbor's water-soaked patio runoff left a lower balcony stinking and attracting pests.

• In one apartment building, hazardous behavior next door left a renter fearing for everyone's safety.

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